What are the odds?

[revrob]

Ok, so we just confirmation today that we are now members. My DH and I have a trip planned for January 3-8. I'm now wondering about changing the dates to January 2-7 (Sun - Thur) and seeing if we can get a studio. So, what are the odds this late of being able to get this? Any thoughts?

 

[tjkraz]

If you aren't picky about resort, you may get lucky. OKW may have something available at this late date.

Did you purchase SSR or another resort via resale?

 

[revrob]

SSR - can't wait to make our first trip home - even if it's not in January

 

[tjkraz]

If you bought brand new points at SSR, you might not be able to stay at a DVC resort for a few months. My understanding is that all points currently being sold are in buildings that do not open until at least March '05. You cannot stay at any DVC resort until the building that you own is ready for occupancy.

Unless you chose the "Developer's Points" incentive program (as opposed to the $10 discount per point), you probably won't be able to use your points for a DVC stay until sometime after March (more likely April or May).

Check your paperwork for the "Estimated date of occupancy" (or similar heading.) That should be the date on which your building is scheduled to open. You can book a stay for any date after that.

Congrats on your purchase.

 

[revrob]

I vaguely remember discussing this with our guide. I thought he said that we could borrow and be eligible to stay. It' been a few weeks since our tour and it's a bit of a blur now. Guess I need to check into it.

 

[tjkraz]

I vaguely remember discussing this with our guide. I thought he said that we could borrow and be eligible to stay.

Normally you can borrow points from one Use Year in the future. If, for example, you purchased points with a December UY, you technically would not receive your first points until 12/1/05. However, you could borrow them into the 2004 UY and use them earlier.

However, your situation is probably a bit different. Since DVC is a timeshare, we each own a very small portion of an actual room at one of the DVC resorts. If you look at your paperwork it will tell you the actual unit and the percent that is actually deeded in your name.

Even though DVC allows us to use our points at resorts and even units that we do not own, you cannot begin doing that until YOUR unit is ready for someone else to stay in it.

To draw a parallel, we bought into SSR back in September '03. However, the resort (and our unit) did not open until May 17, 2004. So, we could not use our points for any stay until after 5/17/04.

It is common knowledge that for the last 3-4 months DVC has been selling points in buildings that do not begin to open until March. Assuming (and it is truly an assumption) that you own part of one of those buildings, your first stay must commence after your unit opens.

Definitely call your guide to clarify.

 

[revrob]

That makes sense. That almost sounds like exactly how my guide would have said it. When we signed on the dotted line, it didn't even cross our mind that we would want to stay at a DVC before next October/November so it really was not even an isue.
It's not really an ISSUE now, just thought it would be nice because we are so excited about going home for the first time.
If we can't, we'll just keep our current reservation for January.
Thanks for the explanation, it really helps!